Pneumatic dispatch system



Oct. 17, 1939. w. J. TAYLOR El AL 2,176,439

PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1935 Oct. 17, 1939.

w. TAYLOR El AL PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEM Filed Feb. '28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eda 0 Z rZ; 62756 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEM Application February 28, 1935, Serial No. 8,599%

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in a pneumatic dispatch system and more particularly in the conformation and structure of the transit tube for such system.

The primary object of this invention is to provide in a pneumatic dispatch system a transit tube comprising a plurality of sections generally rectangular in conformation, the opposite wide sides of which are arched or bulged outwardly to resist any sagging or collapse thereof by the action of the vacuum created in the tube for advancing the carriers therethrough.

Other objects reside in the manufacture of the tube-section from two halves of like conformation joined at the sides of the tube or from a plurality of joined lengths or from a single formed length, the provision of means for preventing the unwanted entry or escape of air by the sealing of the joinders between the tube lengths and between adjacent tube sections, the formation of bends in the tube, both flatwise and edgewise, from a plurality of curved sections and the provision of tube sections which may, if desired, be removed at station terminals or when conditions require insertion of the sections, as after terminals and adjoining tubes or bends have been located.

These and other objects will appear from an examination of the following description and of the drawings which form a part thereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in perspective of a portion of a transit tube embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section of the tube shown in Fig. 1 with one form of carrier therein;

Fig. 3 is an edge view of a detail of the tube showing a sealing of the joinder between the tube halves and between adjacent tube sections;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the detail shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken along theline 55 on Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate flatwise and edgewise bends respectively of the tube shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a side view of a removable tube section; and

Figs 9 and 10 are enlarged views of the unions which form part of the removable section.

The portion of a transit tube 10 shown in Fig. 1 includes a flatwise 90 bend II, and an edgewise 90 bend [2. The tube (see Fig. 2) is made up of two halves l5 of like conformation terminating in flanges H5 at both side edges. The flats or 55 wide sides of the tube are arched or bulged outwardly to resist any tendency of the tube to collapse under suction when used in a system of this vacuum type and the flanges [6 are preferably at approximately the centres of the edges or narrow sides of the tube. The halves are joined at the flanges l6, which are brought into surface contact, and in order to seal the joinders between the halves and prevent the entry or escape of air the flanges 16 are enclosed by U-shaped strips I1, and the strips and flanges are united by any suitable means as, for example, the series of nut and bolt assemblies 18.

The ends of each two adjoining sections are joined by enlarging the end of one section surficiently to receive the end of the other section in telescoping relation (see Figs. 3 and 4). The flanges at the enlarged end are sufiiciently separated thereby to form pockets which receive the flanges of the other end and the four overlapping flanges are joined by nut and bolt assemblies 63.

The bends II and I2 are made up of a plurality of curved sections, the sections 26 which form the bend H, being curved flatwise, as shown in Fig. 6, and the sections 2! which form the bend l2 being curved edgewise, as shown in Fig. '7. The curved sections are built up and the adjoining sections are joined in the manner previously described.

The removable sections 25, one of which is shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, each comprise a tube section 26 consisting of two halves joined, as set forth above. To the ends of the section are suitably secured two part flanged plates 21 which follow the conformation of the tube section and rest upon and are secured to the section flanges by nut and bolt assemblies 28. The removable sections are attached to the adjacent sections at either end thereof by means of unions 30 and 3|. The unions each comprise a relatively short length of tubing 32 and 33, respectively, formed and having a conformation like the transit tube and a flanged plate 34 corresponding to the plates 21-. The unions are secured to the adjacent tube sections by telescoping, the tubing 32 being in-- serted within the belled end of one section and the tubing 33 being belled and slipped over the end of the other section. The removable section 25 is inserted between the unions and 3! and secured in position by nut and bolt assemblies 35.

The ends of the tube section 26 and of the tubings 32 and 33 terminate at the face of the flange plates and are preferably skived off, as shown on Figs. 9 and 10, at 36, to eliminate the possibility of interference with the travel of the carriers.

tube sections, are further sealed as follows.

The various joinders in the transit tube with the exception of that between the removable sections and the rest of the line, are of the telescope'type. The direction of travel of the carriers is indicated by the arrow 31 on Fig. 4. The joinders between the tube halves and between the tube sections, as well as between the unions and The outer surface of the inner tube at each joinder is coated with a suitable mastic or cement (see Fig. 4 at 38). Fillers such as wicking 39 of one form or another are stuffed into the opening at the end of the inner flanges (see Fig. 3) and between the edges of the flanges l6 and the sealing strip I! (see Fig. 5). Fillets 40 of lacquer or the like are built up at the belled ends of the tubes (see Figs. 3, 4 and 6), and at the edges of the strips (see Fig. 5).

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that we are not limited thereto and that other embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a transit tube approximately rectangular in cross section through which carriers travel under the urge of air, one side of the rectangle being relatively long with respect to adjacent sides thereof, forming wide and narrow sides, the opposed wide sides of said tube being arched to resist any tendency of the tube to collapse under suction when the system is of the vacuum type, said tube comprising a plurality of sections, each section consisting of two halves of complementary conformation, each half provided with flanges and formed by securing the flanges of one half to the flanges of the other half, and said sections being joined by telescoping one end of each section with the end of the next adjacent section, the receiving end of one section being belled and the flanges thereof separated to receive the flanges of the inserted end of the other section, the interior of the receiving end of said one section having substantially the same dimensions and shape as the exterior of the inserted end of said other section, whereby said joining ends of said sections are formed for a close sliding telescopic fit, and means for securing all of said flanges together, the flanges being so secured and the sections being so joined as to prevent any material escape of air from. the tube.

2. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a transit tube comprising a plurality of sections, each section being approximately rectangular in cross section, one side of the rectangle being relatively long with respect to the adjacent sides thereof, thereby forming wide and narrow sides, the opposed wide sides being arched to resist any tendency of the tube to collapse under suction when the system is of the vacuum type, each section consisting of two halves of complementary conformation, each half including one wide side of the section and terminating in flanges along each narrow side, U-shaped strips enclosing the edges of said flanges and terminating short of the ends thereof, and said sections being joined by telescoping one end of each section with the end of the next adjacent section, theend of one j section being belled and the flanges thereof separated to form a pocket which receives the flanges of the inserted end of the other section, and means for securing all of said flanges together.

WILLIAM J. TAYLOR. JOSEPH A. BOUDREAU. ROBERT E. COTE. 

